LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Three members of Head Coach Jay Sullenger's 2019 roster had standout performances in the month of July as the summer baseball schedule nears its close for many of the Biola Eagles.

Jackson Collins and Honus Kindreich, two of the Eagles who have flown farthest afield from La Mirada, built on their productive weeks in June by taking their play to another level this month. Incoming freshman Tyler Mead crafted a similar narrative with the San Francisco Seagulls this month and improved his record to 5-1 in nine games with the 33-10 'Gulls at the time of writing.

Collins continued to rake after opening the summer with a .303 batting average as the everyday first baseman for the Park City Rangers in Kansas. The Watsonville, California native ended his season on a six-game hitting streak and got a knock in nine of his final 10 games to close the summer with a .306 average and 34 hits. He finished as the Rangers' second-leading hitter for hits and averaged and also appeared in the top two for RBI's with 28.

"I'm excited for Jackson to return to campus with some of this momentum," said Sullenger. "He is a young guy that worked very hard and accomplished much in his first year of college baseball. And he's a mature young man who has put himself in great position leading into a pivotal battle for a starting position. I know the experience and time invested this summer will continue to lead to more success."

Up in Alaska, Honus Kindreich earned himself an Alaska Baseball League All-Star selection on the way to throwing 21.1 innings in July for the Chugiak Chinooks while keeping his ERA below 2.40. In his nine outings this month, Kindreich turned in at least two innings of work eight times while collecting 14 strikeouts. As a result, he'll return home with a 2.38 ERA in 40.1 innings pitched to go along with 28 K's and just eight walks.

"Honus is one of those guys you root for and hope that he experience success after such consistent investment," said Sullenger. "Alaska is great league and place that is know throughout its history to produce some great baseball players. Honus is a guy that has put the time in and is seeing the results."

Not to be outdone by his future teammates, incoming freshman Tyler Mead has helped the Seagulls draw within one win of an appearance in the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League Championship with back-to-back-to-back quality starts this month. Mead allowed just one earned run in eight innings in his most recent start on July 21 and boasts a 2.86 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 44 innings. 

"Tyler was one of our first signees in this class and he has made great strides from his time at Biola Baseball camp to now establishing himself against college hitters," said Sullenger. "We were already expectant of his impact on our pitching staff, but its performances like these that build the experience and confidence that prepare him for success here at Biola, the PacWest and beyond."

Other Eagles who had noteworthy accomplishments include Jerron Largusa, who drove in seven RBI's this month for the Chugiak Chinooks and had more doubles (six) than singles in July; Joey Magro, who collected 12 hits in 14 games this month for the Wenatchee AppleSox and had two three-hit games; and Connor Kostecka, whose seven hits this month helped him average a hit per game this summer for the Inland Valley Bucs.

Additionally, the group of Joey Leavitt, Josh Ludeman and Tyler Piston took a more individualized approach to their development by traveling to Washington to spend the month at the Driveline Baseball performance training center. Ludeman and Leavitt, particularly, travel to Driveline on the momentum created by their successful stints with their summer teams. Ludeman collected 18 strikeouts in 10.2 innings for the Lincoln Potters while Leavitt went 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA in 21 innings for the OC Surf, including seven innings of shutout ball on June 18 against the Fairbanks Goldpanners in Alaska. 

"We work hard to present our players opportunities through the country in some of the best leagues to grow and steward their gifts in the game as well as to represent their God through baseball," concluded Sullenger. "Coach Smith did a great job with getting our guys into good leagues and onto teams that would challenge them and prepare them for the season ahead. I'm proud of the way our guys went to work this summer!" 

The Eagles will return to Biola at the end of August to prepare for the fall semester and will begin their second season in the PacWest in February 2019.